Homecoming or Coming Home?
by Adobo-chan
Summary: COMPLETE. Karin is in dire need of a date for her senior prom. Someone perfect: a guy who's tall, dark and handsome. Well... two out of three isn't so bad. HitsuKarin
1. Revenge inspired

**AN:** Hello everyone! I'm just gonna skip all the chatter and be up-front. I'm a new-ish fan of Bleach. I started watching it way back when, but stopped because I got tired of the plot not being fast enough (I am impatient, very much so). However, I have found a new love for it and thus I decided to try my hand at some fanfiction, making this my FIRST Bleach fic. I hope you all will read and review. I haven't written for an anime in a long while so I might be a little rusty. Enjoy! :)

**Summary**: [THREE-SHOT] Karin is in dire need of a date for her senior prom. Someone perfect: a guy who is tall, dark and handsome. Well... two out of three isn't so bad. HitsuKarin

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><p>"It's Prom, Yuzu, not Cinderella's ball."<p>

An irate teenage girl walked alongside her twin, hands trapped behind her head, as she gazed upwards at the afternoon sky. Her long, dark hair was tied into a high ponytail, their shared high school uniform just a bit messier on her because of the changes she had before and after soccer practice. With a sigh, she swung her bag down carelessly to her side, while her sister placed it delicately at her front, walking side-by-side on their way home from school in relative silence.

It was easy for someone like Yuzu to be excited to go to their senior dance. Yuzu was the epitome of every boy's dream, soft and feminine in her prettiness with a distinctly agreeable disposition, a personality that made her popular with both boys and girls alike. It was no wonder everyone compared her tomboy of a sister to her and wondered just where their genes had to have overlapped. After all, Kurosaki Karin was none of those things and she would be the first one to correct you if you ever tried to pursue the subject.

She didn't inherit her sister's endless grace from their mother, but was instead much more fighter than lover, as shown through her merciless fakes on the soccer field and easy dodges during a fight. It didn't help that her brother's reputation had preceded her into high school, her nonchalance being confused with his so-called defiance; that, and her own sense of justice had led her down a similar path as his. But if anyone had bothered to look past all of her misadventures, they'd be surprised to see a very pretty girl with a heart of gold and endless spirit, someone who had learned at a young age to love forever and forgive all.

But high school didn't gift the different, and different she was.

Sighing to herself, Karin allowed Yuzu to continue her persuasion, as futile as it was. Contrary to her hardened exterior, Karin didn't have the heart to turn down her sister as often as she wished she could. She feared that she might give in if she allowed herself to show the other girl any weakness. Let it be known that while Yuzu was certainly the softer and sweeter of the two, she was scarily convincing when she needed to be.

"It's one dance! You've missed all the others, and it's not as if I'm asking you to do something impossible! You can dance a little, eat all the food you want at the buffet table and just live your life for one_ measly_ night! I mean, when was the last time you felt as pretty as I know you are?" There she goes again. When Yuzu was on a roll, she was definitely on and there was no way in hell to stop her. Karin opened her mouth to contest her companion (and stick up for her much-ignored femininity) when another voice joined them.

"Oh, if it isn't the Kurosaki twins." Out from the corner stepped a pretty, redhead girl, turning along the bend and moving down the street towards them. Karin fought to bite back a groan and the inane need to bash her head into the nearest lamppost. Shinabata Mai, the prettiest, most popular and (arguably) the bitchiest girl on, well… _earth—_in Karin's oh-so open-minded opinion—was the bane of her existence since they had both stepped foot on Karakura High's perfectly peaceful campus.

The last three and a half years of Mai's life had been dedicated to putting down and bullying the toughest chick in school with mixed results. While Karin didn't outright retaliate to any of the girl's passive-aggressive harassment (like the one time she just 'happened' to 'accidentally' declare to a rather large group of people that Karin might have a thing for one of the _girls_ in their class), she didn't take it lying down either (in retribution for that little rumor, Karin didn't know how her then-boyfriend found out about her fling with some college student, though it did help that she was rather good at implanting ideas into people with _Inception_-esque skills). There were many tallies on both sides and one too many stalemates to declare an actual victor in their little war. The final verdict was that they hated each other and all of this repressed anger was leading up to one thing:_ The Final Showdown_.

"I couldn't help overhearing—" _'cause you were stalking us you freak_, Karin thought with a scowl "—about your dilemma, Yuzu," she said, patting the brown-haired twin's shoulder in fake sympathy. Yuzu stared at the hand with irritation, acting as if venom was being wiped on her shirt and treating it as such when she shrugged the gesture off. Mai didn't even bat an eyelash. "Trying to convince Karin to go to prom? That's a pity, but you know her. She's never been the type to just go with the flow."

"I think I know my twin better than you do," she fired back, keeping her face and voice moderately cheerful, but with an evenness that served as a warning.

"Of course you do, sweetie." Her response was patronizing, causing Karin to rest her hands on Yuzu's shoulders before the girl broke her nice streak and did something very out of character. With a flip of her auburn hair, the queen bee walked passed them, tossing a comment over her shoulder. "I do hope you'll go, Karin. After all, I'd love to see who'd be willing to go out with a man-_oops_, I mean, _girl_ like you."

As she let out a hardy cackle, Mai pounded down the sidewalk until the click of her heels could no longer be heard.

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><p>It only took a few, well-placed insults (and a rather angry Yuzu) to get Karin into the swing of things. Not that she was doing all of this completely willingly, but she certainly had more of an interest in prom now than she did a few hours ago. There were only four days until the ball and somehow their preparations had turned into some kind of revenge-inspired shopping spree-slash-date hunt.<p>

The first night, Yuzu had literally seethed and whined for an hour about a certain girl in their class, using words Karin hadn't even known she'd known. The tirade led to a rather forceful interrogation on her part, causing the older twin to shrink back at the ferocity of her sister's declarations. After gaining a rather reluctant acquiescence to attend the party from her, the now-pacified Yuzu practically charged up the stairs, dragging Karin in tow, to their room to search for anything in their closet that she could possibly use.

It was like hell on earth for the next two days.

Whoever said shopping wasn't a sport had definitely been a man because from the workout made Karin feel as if she'd played an entire tournament in a day. With little to nothing usable for the dance in their joint closet, it had become an all-out, shop-'til-you-_die_ affair, complete with competition from a number of other teenage girls from other schools. With prices marked down ridiculously low and gowns in short supply (after all, it was high school suicide to have the same dress as someone else), it was a mad dash and search through the department store.

Surprisingly, Yuzu held her own against even the most aggressive of shoppers, grabbing dresses she thought fit Karin's style with efficiency and swiftness that even Ichigo wouldn't have been able to keep up with. Karin was less impressed, however, by the fact that she was unceremoniously tossed into the dressing room and outfitted at inhumane speeds. She was critiqued with a critical eye by her sister (since she herself had little to no expertise on this whole dress manner) before being put into the next one, and thus the cycle continued.

By the end of the day, she wondered if her pride as a woman was worth the price of her sanity and bodily harm. She also made a note to never go anywhere near a mall for at least a week, just to make sure she didn't have some post-traumatic stress response by exposing herself to that hellish environment too soon after her ordeal.

"Karin, you're going to look amazing! I can feel it in my bones," squealed a happy Yuzu, carrying a few bags, as the other toted the majority of them in her hands.

"I'll take your word for it," she replied with a shrug, not even remembering what had been bought. Spending several hours on the battlefield made the details rather blurry, after all. As they walked a bit in silence, they finally reached their destination and toed off their shoes at the entryway in the hall. Managing to shuffle into the small home was difficult with the array of purchases but doable, as they made their way into the living room and onto a scene they hadn't been expecting.

"Oi, Karin, Yuzu, welcome home," Ichigo greeted, sprawled out on the couch. Since going to college nearly four years ago, their brother had only come home for special occasions, specifically holidays and hollow hunting. He would turn up at the house randomly, asking for food as he sat at the dinner table while half-listening to the lecture Yuzu would give him about calling _before_ he came over and not just popping in whenever he felt like it.

This time though, he brought some friends with him.

A petite girl with dark, shoulder-length hair was sitting in the settee, greeting them with her odd Japanese. Rukia-nee was no stranger to their home, as they in turn welcomed her back and placed their bags off to the side to properly meet the other guest. She was a busty, older woman who was dressed rather conservatively, despite her figure. She introduced herself as Matsumoto Rangiku, shaking their hands and giving a covert wink to Karin.

_So if she's here… _Karin pondered for a second before realizing there was one other reiatsu in her home. It was coming out from the kitchen, a glass of water in hand and that trademark scowl on his face. When she got a good glimpse of him though, Karin nearly choked on her spit, eyes widening at the very distinct changes the last few years had gifted him with.

No longer could Hitsugaya Toushirou be called an elementary school student. Standing just a little above average height, his snow-colored locks were as unruly as ever, but seemed dramatically different on his newly aged face. Instead of the cute, impertinent frown that graced his school child face, that same look fell on a rather angled visage, high cheek bones that could slice paper and a strong jaw line to match. His eyes were the same cerulean hue, but more narrowed, the ever-present arrogance lurking just behind the practiced indifference.

With the once over, everything she knew about her childhood friend seemed to blow up in her face.

"_Wah!_ Is that you, Hitsugaya-kun?" Yuzu exclaimed, clapping her hands together at the metamorphosis of the Tenth Squad Captain. He greeted her with a nod, saying hello in that same deep voice that now matched his masculine face. Karin literally had to bite her tongue to keep her jaw from dropping.

"Yo, Kurosaki," he said to Karin, turning those eyes to her with that same cat-like grace. She thanked herself inwardly for not being the type to blush, or else she would have turned red as a tomato long before now.

"H-hey, Toushirou," she stuttered back, and she immediately wanted to hit herself. _Nice, Karin. Real smooth._

"That's Hitsugaya-taichou to you," he shot back, that same disdain he always showed still on his face. Somehow, that look instantly stole her awkwardness away, replaced by the old feelings of friendship she had once shared with the boy. She relaxed as she realized that his maturation hadn't changed him, not the inside at least. It had been nearly six years since she'd seen him, and yet the beginnings of their impromptu alliance were still fresh in her mind.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it… _Toushirou_," she shrugged, liking the way his face darkened and how that familiar vein shot onto his forehead. Looking like he wanted to reply, he was interrupted by a rather large exclamation from her sister.

"You look so different since we last saw you! You're like, an idol! No, a rock star," she praised, completely enthralled by the other's transformation. Unbidden, a small amount of coloring made its way onto his cheeks as he murmured a bit of thanks, walking to sit on the end of the couch.

"I know! Taichou has become a man now," Matsumoto gushed, her overly dramatic gestures completely familiar. "He's gone through a bit of a growth spurt. It'll probably last another four or five years, since he's only about halfway through this one."

"Five _years_?" both twins interjected, completely stunned.

"Oh yeah. Shinigami have random periods of growth just like humans, only ours last a bit longer," she explained, as she adopted a thoughtful look and tapped her chin absent-mindedly. "Every couple hundred of years, we'll age as any human normally does for a certain amount of time. Then, we remain the same age for a few more centuries. These periods become less common, however, when we get older, which is why a lot of the older captains haven't changed for hundreds of years."

"That would explain why Ukitake-taichou looks exactly the same now as when I enrolled in the Academy," Rukia offered, saying it more to Ichigo than his sisters since neither of them knew who this 'Ukitake' was. But it was a clear enough account that both understood, nodding as they pondered the odd ways of Soul Society. Before they could marinate on the subject a little longer though, Matsumoto asked about the rather large amount of shopping that had brought home with them.

"Prom is this weekend," Yuzu answered, smiling as she gestured to the pile of bags. "We went shopping for all of the necessities. Even Karin's going, and she's never been to one before."

"What's a 'prom'?" she asked, frowning at the foreign word on her tongue.

"It's like a party but with fancier clothes and stuff. It's held every year by the school as something of a mixer," Ichigo offered, before glancing in his sisters' direction. He eyed the dark-haired girl warily, as if knowing something was up. Not wanting to reveal the rather childish reason she was going, she turned her head with a flip of her hair, biting back the even more childish notion of sticking her tongue out at him. Her plans for revenge didn't need to involve her brother, nor did she want his judgment.

"Ooh, a party? Can we go, Taichou?" The overly excited vice captain began pawing at the younger man. He shot her an irritated glare, but before he could answer Ichigo interrupted again.

"You can't go unless you're someone's date. School's have strict rules about that kind of stuff," he shrugged, noticing as the other's face fell into a grimace. Somehow, Ichigo very much doubted his sisters would appreciate an easily excitable Matsumoto at this particular function, someone who would very likely try and get the entire student body drunk, regardless of whether it was legal or not. From what he surmised from other lieutenants, it certainly hadn't stopped her before in her Academy years. He had very little faith that Karakura High would still be standing if Rangiku got too close to it with the idea of partying and intoxication in mind.

"I'm sorry, Rangiku-san," said a rather apologetic Yuzu, who was entirely too sensitive to other's feelings. Luckily, Matsumoto was able to waive it off as if it was nothing, a little disappointed but with no harm done. Immediately she launched into another subject: who they were going with.

"Do you know Jinta-kun? He lives at Urahara-san's shop," she replied happily, stating how he had asked her with an entire bag of candy he took from the store's inventory. Karin remembered that little scene, and made a note to not tell Yuzu about the hard labor he was put through to pay for those sweets. Some things were better left unsaid.

"And you, Karin-chan?" she asked, turning to her with an expression that told her she had her complete and total attention.

"Who knows," she said with a half-bored tone, moving out of the living room and into the kitchen for a drink. Five pairs of eyes followed her, as Matsumoto continued the conversation even as she opened the fridge for some juice and grabbed a glass.

"What'dya mean? You don't have anyone to go with?" Her eyes were wide with curiosity, as she watched the younger girl with hawk-like eyes.

"Nope. I only decided to go a few days ago." She took a large gulp, quenching the thirst that had been sitting in her throat for a good part of the last three hours. "Besides, the boys in my school are terrified of me. I certainly wasn't going to go with any of them."

"Terrified? Why?"

"Well, Onii-chan wasn't exactly invisible in high school…" Yuzu tried to put it as delicately as possible.

"He was basically seen as a delinquent, and now everyone thinks that, since we're from the same gene pool, I have to be one too." It was a given that people were bound to talk about the rather infamous Kurosaki Ichigo, who fought for those who couldn't and protected what little he held dear. Not everyone understood his brand of justice, least of all his peers and teachers, and that had alienated him from the majority. Unfortunately, that animosity had also extended into her generation, so instead of a new beginning Karin had ended up living a sequel to her brother's life.

"Oh, I see. Only you? Not Yuzu?"

"Matsumoto, you need to get your eyes checked," came the rather insensitive reply from Hitsugaya, as he peered up at Karin from beneath a lock of his hair. She glanced back with an eyebrow raised, but a smirk found its way to her lips, as she bit back a retort. After all, what could she possibly say to that? Anything would sound completely uncomplimentary, so she made the decision not to say anything more incriminating. Instead, she held his gaze with her own, her confident nature against his cold, assessing eyes.

Watching the silent exchange, Yuzu couldn't help but feel a bit of excitement rise into her chest. She looked to someone else, hoping they would agree with her. Finding Matsumoto's conspiring eyes, they both grinned widely at each other, as if they could read each other's minds.

"Oh, Karin, since you still haven't found a date," Yuzu began, trying her best not to give herself away, as she fiddled with her fingertips, "why don't you bring Hitsugaya-kun?"

"_WHAT?_" Ichigo boomed, as Karin choked on a rather large gulp of liquid, sounding as if she was coughing up her left lung. Rukia rushed to her side, patting her back comfortingly. Hitsugaya himself had his jaw slightly unhinged, taken aback by the rather forward proposition.

"Oh, Taichou, it's perfect! We're only here for a week and you're taking some time off too, aren't you? What better way to spend time in the real world than joining in one of its traditions?" Matsumoto pushed, completely in Matchmaker Mode.

"I don't think that's such a good idea, Yuzu," Karin wheezed, finally getting some much needed oxygen into her lungs.

"Why not?" she pouted, crossing her arms over her chest and jutting out her bottom lip.

"I feel like a Shinigami Captain at a high school dance isn't the best idea you've ever had," she countered, glaring at her for even suggesting it. Bringing one of the most powerful spiritual beings to introduce to her friends to be 'ooh'-ed over was not her idea of fun. To be honest, just the very thought of the situation sounded downright stressful, and she did not want to add pressure on top of her already burdened scholastic existence.

"But he's perfect!" she exclaimed, earning a blush from both him and her sister. "He has everything a girl wants! I mean, he's practically the ideal. You know, tall, dark, handsome. And you're certainly not gonna find anyone else. Don't give me that look, Karin, I know you."

"Hardly. He's not that special," she argued, eyeing the man in question distastefully.

"Excuse me?" he inquired, raising a white brow. The hint of snark was sitting heavily on those two words, the challenge evident in his voice. Unfortunately, it was a tone that Karin was all too familiar with, as she stepped back into the living space with a decisive air about her. She had never been called cowardly before, and she'd be damned if this would be her defining moment. Settling a few feet from Toushirou, she looked him up and down, as if judging a prized piece of meat.

"Let's look at it like this," she offered, hands on her hips in a rather authoritative fashion. "First criteria: tall. He's not exactly Ichi-nii-"

"I'm still growing!" he interrupted, a vein reappearing on his forehead. Despite the obvious sprouting, it seemed the former 'midget' (as she had so affectionately called him long ago) still had a bit of his height complex. "And who are you to talk? I'm taller than you, aren't I?"

"If I'm your measuring stick, then you're definitely screwed. I'm 160 centimeters, tall for a girl, perhaps, but nowhere near what a guy should be." Getting a better look at him, she noticed that he was just about the size Ichigo was when he was fifteen years old, towering over the majority of his classmates, save for Sado. Not that she has going to give him the satisfaction of telling him that. This was a battle and battles were not won on honesty and that was that. "Second criteria: dark. He's practically a snowflake!"

"I am not!"

"You are! Look at that hair! Besides that, the light skin makes you look like a girl."

He met Karin's assessment with a hard scowl, causing the features of his face to tighten. Inwardly, Karin felt herself gulp, noticing how perfectly shaped his face had become once the baby fat had melted off and he grew into his distinctly adult, male self. Oh, he was pretty alright, but not feminine pretty. He was what the girls in her class would call a _bishounen_, arguably the most perfect pretty boy that she had ever seen. _Not that I like looking at pretty boys_, she reasoned with herself, feeling herself color at the thought and the intense look in his eye.

"And then there's the last one: handsome." She paused for a second, wondering what she could say haughtily to turn this back on him. But the longer she looked at him, the less she could think straight, as she felt her color rise up to the surface. Anyone with two eyes could see that Toushirou was every bit the attractive man he was bound to turn into. Saying anything even slightly negative about him would earn disagreement from anyone in the room, including herself. Turning her head decisively away, she muttered quietly:

"Well, you're not ugly…"

"Of course not," he snorted, looking at her uncomfortable face with an exasperated one of his own. Every man had his pride, and to have it stopped on by a girl a fraction of his age (and a human, no less) wasn't something he would take lying down. The presence of two rather ecstatic women, a confused one and an overprotective brother, however, were good deterrents for his anger. He wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of seeing him lose his cool.

"Oh, Karin, I wish you were a little more honest with yourself," Yuzu sighed, before looking over at the white-haired boy. "I know she's a bit rough around the edges, but you should know she's like that by now. And, as her sister, I know she'd love to take you to prom."

"Yuzu!" Karin hissed, looking every bit the embarrassed and slightly embittered older sister. The color had yet to fade from her cheeks, as she sent her twin a rather nasty glower. But the other girl continued to ignore her in favor of Hitsugaya's answer, her eyes hopeful that he would accept. Instead of answering, however, he turned back to the dark-haired twin, and eyed her distrustfully. He only did so for a minute, and yet Karin felt as if she was being stared at in detail for hours, trapped under the green-blue lens of a microscope. As if coming to a conclusion, he stared her down, daring her to lie about what he was going to ask next.

"What are you not telling us, Kurosaki?" he asked point-black, noticing as she flinched at the question. So she was hiding something from him. Looking a little sheepish, she brought a hand up to the back of her head and scratched it, knowing she was a terrible liar and that he did as well.

"Well, there's this girl at school…" She explained the basics about Mai and her never-ending tirade to end her social life, as a rather enthusiastic Yuzu backed her up. The others listened intently, finding Karin's arch nemesis rather entertaining, despite her malicious intent to ruin Karin. By the end of it, Matusmoto was revved up, saying how she'd be happy to help her take down that 'princess bitch,' gaining a second from a rather eager Rukia. Ichigo seemed rather disinclined to comment, knowing that what happened between girls was a complete mystery to him. He did offer the brotherly advice of ignoring her and learning to walk away, but who was he kidding? This was a Kurosaki and her pride. It would've been easier to tell her to give up soccer and stop getting into fights than to let this go.

Chancing a glance at the other boy, Karin noticed a contemplative look on his face. He was frowning, but not in an angry or upset sort of way. Instead, it was more pensive, as if he was weighing his options in his head. His eyes slid to hers, and it was only by habit that she didn't turn her own away.

"So basically you're using me as revenge against this girl." It wasn't a question, but an honest deduction from what he was told. Karin could hear Yuzu sputter off to the side, not liking the way he said it, but she knew that the interpretation was more or less spot on. She nodded, keeping it simple and letting him make his own choice. He was, after all, the one doing the favor if he agreed. It wasn't quite fair to try and persuade him if there was no endgame on his side. He took a few moments longer, turning his stare away and pondering to himself.

"C'mon, Taichou," Matumoto butted in, looking at him with her signature puppy dog eyes, the same ones she used to get away with not doing her paperwork. "It's just one little dance. There's no harm in it, after all. Who knows, you might enjoy it."

He pinned a rather sarcastic stare at his second-in-command, before sighing in a resigned manner. Looking down at Karin, who tried her best not to look anxious, he tilted his head down with another sigh.

"Fine, I'll do it."

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> DUN, DUN DUN! Haha, I'm sorry. I just had to type it. Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed this first part. I apologize for anything wrong with the grammar or spelling. My brain is starting to malfunction. The next part will probably be up in a few days. it'll be shorter than this one, but it has the climactic ending so that's okay, right? Please review if you liked it, or just wanted to point something out. No flames about the pairing, please. It comes off as sort of bitter, in my opinion. (That, and I don't really care if you don't like HitsuKarin. To each his own, right?)

Thanks for reading!


	2. Heart haywire

**AN:** Before I say anything else, I just wanted to tell everyone how thankful I am for all your reviews, alerts and favorites! I'm really honored! And, because I just loved this story so much, I ended up writing the second chapter rather quickly, but it turned out to be twice as long as the first. Haha. I'm not quite satisfied with the ending yet. It's being a little tricky. But! It will be up by this weekend, of that I have no doubt. So, please, enjoy this chapter. :D

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><p>No one had ever told Karin that getting ready for a dance took so much work.<p>

When Yuzu called her downstairs so she could start prepping four hours before the dance, she had wondered if something was wrong with their dresses or if a pair of shoes had unexpectedly broken. What she did not expect to see was the living room transformed into a makeshift beauty parlor, along with different hair necessities lining the table as cosmetics were littered about the nearby kitchen counter. If she had never experienced a living nightmare, she had a distinct feeling she was about to.

"Yuzu, what is all this?" she asked, grabbing onto a curling iron and examining it like it was an alien invention.

"Be careful, Karin. That's hot," she scolded, shaking her head when the other decided not to heed her words and touched the metal rod anyway. Karin yelped, dropping the device to the floor and jumping back half a foot, glowering at the hair tool. Her fair-haired sister could only 'tsk' at her behavior.

"Why's all this stuff here?" she asked again, blowing on her hand and testing out her singed nerves. No harm done, she decided, as her twin went to place the curler back on the table before pushing her sister out of harm's way.

"It's prom night, silly. Or have you forgotten?" she replied suspiciously. Leveling her stare with the pretty twin, she scoffed with an 'of course not' and made her way over to the kitchen to get a full view of all the colored palettes. Being a girl was a difficult thing, Karin couldn't help but think, as she touched many brushes, bristles and tubes that she was quite unfamiliar with. She toyed with a few compacts as well, opening them and eyeing the different powders, wondering why one would need so many.

As she did so, Yuzu sighed beside her, watching but not bothering to explain. The only part of Karin that outpaced her love for soccer was her undying curiosity. If she started asking questions now, they'd be standing in front of that counter for at least an hour as she tried to explain each product's purpose, demonstrate its use, and if she could fit it in, the materials used to make it. That wasn't exactly how she wanted to spend the next sixty or so minutes of her life.

"All right, that's enough of that," Yuzu declared, pushing Karin away and back into the living room to sit on the chair she had placed there. As soon as she was seated, Karin felt a small cape be placed over her, much like the ones used for haircuts. Before she could sputter out a question, the view of someone's expansive cleavage was in her face and she immediately knew who it was.

"Hello, Karin-chan!" Matsumoto said with a bright smile, her chest bouncing happily as she greeted her friend. "I see that we've got quite a lot of work to do. Tell me, is there any way you'd like your hair to be done?"

"Don't let her choose, Matsumoto-san," Yuzu complained, as she walked into the room with Rukia in tow. "She'll say something like 'just leave it down' or 'whatever's not too complicated,' something along those lines, but we can't have any of that! Karin-chan needs to look like she's, well, anyone _but_ herself!"

"Hey!" the girl in question butted in, but was instantly trounced by an agreeing vice captain. Everyone saw her same visage the same way every day, just the bare minimum of effort and nothing more. What she needed was a makeover, even if only for a few precious hours. It was going to be a transformation that no one would be expecting, and her team of two raring to go shinigami and an overly involved sister would play her fairy godmothers tonight.

"What about you, Yuzu?" she couldn't help but ask, as Matsumoto grabbed some clips and Rukia began pinning her hair in certain places to prepare for the straightening. But her younger sister waved off her worry, stating that she would be fine. After all, she was well versed in the art of fixing herself up, but she was honestly much more interested in what she could do for her sister than herself.

Taking a deep breath, Karin prayed for just a little bit of mercy.

.

.

"So you're both here," Ichigo said, opening the door to a rather nervous looking Jinta and impervious Hitsugaya. While the former wasn't usually the type to be easily threatened or intimidated, it seemed that whatever spine Jinta had had previously had been left back at the shop, as he tried not to meet the glare obvious in the older man's eyes.

Hitsugaya just nodded a greeting as he entered, his hands stuffed deep into his pockets as he took off his dress shoes with as few unnecessary movements as possible. In contrast, his redheaded counterpart ended up stumbling around the small area, trying his best not to fall over himself as they both followed Ichigo's form. Before they even made it pass the corner, however, the orange-haired man turned back to look at them, a fiercely protective gleam in his eye. Hitsugaya had seen this coming long before he'd even gotten up the walkway.

_And, cue the scare tactics._

"Now, listen," he began, looking down at both boys as best as he could, trying to appear as daunting as possible by using the darkest glare he could muster. "I've known you both for a long time, so I'm just gonna cut to the chase._You_—" he pointed an accusatory finger at Jinta, who went cross eyed as he stared at it "—will take good care of Yuzu. She's young and impressionable, much more fragile than Karin or me. If anything happens to her, or _you_ do something that looks, sounds, or even _smells_ suspicious, so help me, I will _destroy_ you. I even got Urahara to promise that he won't interfere if I find a need to blast you into Soul Society, hunt down your ass in Rukongai, and destroy you again. Do I make myself clear?"

A terrified nod was his only response, knowing that Kurosaki Ichigo would make good on his word if need be. His sisters were his life, his pride and joy, and he would easily destroy anyone in his path to get to them. Satisfied with Jinta's reaction, he turned to the Shinigami Captain with the same dark glower, slightly irritated that the other man didn't seem the slightest bit fazed. Then again, knowing what Toushirou was capable of, of course it would be impossible to get a decent response. After all, one of the most powerful men in the afterlife did not tremble before a Shinigami Representative, no matter how strong he may be.

"Look, Toushirou," he started, not even bothering with the usual taunts, "I know you're doing this for some reason you're not gonna tell me about. You agreed to this way too easily with no incentive for yourself, therefore, there's gotta be something you're planning that you're not telling me or Karin."

He paused, giving the other plenty of time to deny the claim and state his case. However, when he did nothing to refute the statement, Ichigo could only sigh. He had hoped he was wrong, but the other's silence proved otherwise. Even though he had figured out that Hitsugaya did have some sort of ulterior motive, the fact that he didn't know what it was put him on edge.

"I'm not gonna ask you what your plans are, and I'm not gonna tell Karin, even though I think she has a right to know you're up to something." He gave Toushirou a pointed look, as if commanding him to tell her himself. "I know you're more than capable of taking care of her, and it's because I know you that I trust you not to do anything stupid. All I'll say is this:

"_Don't_ put Karin in danger."

For a second, it was a moment of déjà vu between the two of them. It had been years since the first time he'd said it, but the sentiment behind that one line was still so clear and distinct. Protect her like she was one of his own squad members, look after her as if he was Ichigo himself. Karin wasn't the type that needed protection, but when she did, it had to be someone strong beside her. Someone like him.

"Are you done threatening them yet?" a voice called out, causing them to turn towards the black-haired shinigami sticking her head down the corridor. All she got was a nod in response, as Rukia grinned back and moved back into the living room to announce the two girls' arrivals as if they were debutantes. Matsumoto's excited whispers were heard through the wall, as she seemed to be making last minute adjustments. When they were all done, both older women stepped out, the widest, proudest smiles on their faces.

"Gentlemen, we are honored to introduce your dates for tonight," Rukia announced, her eyes lighting up at the unveiling of two girls she had come to love like family. It wasn't everyday she'd get to experience an occasion like this, as if she had her own sisters to give away. "Presenting, our lovely Yuzu-chan."

Stepping into the hallway, the fair-haired girl who had always been naturally beautiful had blossomed into someone even more striking. Looking at Yuzu in all her glory, Ichigo felt like it was almost like turning back time and watching a young Masaki, something that made him both joyful and sad. On the other hand, Jinta could only look at her in awe, his nickname of 'goddess' no longer an exaggeration of her beauty. Smiling shyly, she reached out for his hand, and he took it, stuttering out a half-hearted compliment, unable to think of a better one. Distinctly, Hitsugaya heard her murmur to the stunned boy with an excited tone, "If you think I look nice, wait until you see Karin!" Of course, this was completely lost on Jinta, who was much too enraptured to pay attention to the tomboy he had known so long and so well.

"And now, for the main event!" Matsumoto exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air for dramatic effect. It only earned her a bored, half-lidded stare from her captain, who had grown immune to the other's antics over the last century. "Presenting to you, for one night only, the amazingly beautiful, insanely gorgeous, Kurosaki Karin!"

"Your introductions need some work, Rangiku-san," muttered a rather glum voice, one that was distinctly Karin. Both Ichigo and Hitsugaya turned their eyes, waiting for the so-called 'main event' to make her entrance.

And in an instant, Hitsugaya's breath caught.

Stepping out in a floor length, dark purple dress, Karin looked nothing like the rambunctious wild child she had been growing up. Those dark gray eyes were still the same as ever, holding the challenge to say something even slightly demeaning and see if they got away with it. But any words, good or bad, completely died in his throat, and his jaw was feeling decidedly slack, as he fought to keep his usual unaffected look on his face.

How had he never noticed how soft her skin looked, or how perfect her pink lips were against her light skin? And the unruly mass of dark hair? It was no longer such. Instead, it was pinned into a loose bun with tight curls surrounding it, something that looked as if it had been slaved over. Whatever he had expected to see was completely washed away from his mind, and he decided that his expectations must have been rather low because he was certainly not expecting _this_.

"Yo, Toushirou, you okay?" A hand waved in front of him, catching him off guard, as large, stone-colored eyes looked at him imploringly. A bit shocked by his own thoughtlessness, he peered down at the awaiting face, who looked just a bit worried at him and for a second, he wondered why. But then he noticed her hands wringing her small clutch, as she silently darted her eyes about.

And then it hit him.

She was waiting for his opinion, trying to appear unfazed by his silence and wondering if it was complimentary or damning. Reaching for her hand, he watched as she followed the motion when he lifted her fingers to his lips. Her face didn't even bother to hide her shock and embarrassment, as she felt her digits tingle from the attention. "You look beautiful, Karin," he spoke softly, keeping a grip on her hand with steady, gentle fingers. Taking in a shallow breath, she smiled lightly, pretending that she couldn't hear the thrum of her heart in her ears or the blood pounding in her veins.

"You're in black," she replied dumbly, noticing the tuxedo was the opposite shade that she thought he'd choose.

"I am," he nodded, keeping his grip on her fingers. "Is that a problem?"

"No, no problem," she said quickly, a pretty flush of color finding her cheeks. "I just, you know, pegged you as the sort to wear white for this kind of thing. You're practically a snow and ice ambassador, you know."

"You wanted tall, dark and handsome, didn't you?" he countered, liking the way she colored even deeper at the words, completely overtaken by him. She grumbled a bit in response, trying her best not to let another word get to her, but was failing miserably. Instead of letting her dwell on it, he twined their fingers and motioned towards the exit. She followed his lead, looking back at the two female shinigami with a thankful smile and a nervous one for her brother.

As the two of them headed to the entryway, Matsumoto and Rukia were beaming at one another, grabbing onto each other and jumping around at their success. Even Yuzu had the gall to be a little bit smug, but even that was tempered by the happiness that seemed to rush out of her. It was unfortunate that their father had been out of town for the week because who knew when another moment like this would come along. (Luckily for him, she had taken enough pictures to commemorate the spectacular milestone.) To her left, Jinta was dumbstruck by his childhood friend's change, eyes as large as saucers and a wide mouth to boot. But it was Ichigo who remained unreadable, keeping a rather solemn frown on his features as he followed them out.

As the four of them went to the door and said their goodbyes, it was Hitsugaya who met the other man's gaze over Karin's head. The dangerous caution hung in the air between them, even as he offered Karin his arm and led her out the door to Jinta's car. It was Ichigo's eyes that told him everything he needed to know, those eyes that had watched his sister for so long and were now watching as she walked away.

_Take care of her, Toushirou._

* * *

><p>Even before they entered the gym, Karin could feel her heart pounding in her chest, as if struggling to climb out. She tried to imagine being in front of all those people, feeling their eyes on her and wondering just why she looked so different or, better yet, question who she was. She had never been one to put much stock in physical attributes for those were things that were given by Unknown Powers, not earned through hard work or skill. Now, however, it seemed that whatever attributes that had been placed on her held more weight than ever before.<p>

Sensing the bundle of nerves next to him, Hitsugaya watched the war of emotions flit across Karin's face. For all her staunch talk and self-reliance, Karin was still like many girls on this planet; she too had fears that she had to face. Granted, this one was less a feeling of apprehension and more of confrontation. Everything she'd done tonight was all for her pride, a weakness that many of the Kurosaki clan seemed to fall prey to.

He took his hand and placed it along her lower back, leading her just a little closer to him. Almost stumbling, she looked up at her white-haired companion, who made no inclination towards her but instead stared straight as he handed the usher his tickets. In a small voice, his low tone reassured her.

"Don't worry, you'll be great."

It was strange how he did that. Just by saying one well meaning sentence, it was as if he'd set her free from all her worries. He had done it to her as a child as well, but that was probably because she knew that behind his young façade were years of wisdom and experience. That, although he was an authoritative figure who demanded respect as his due, he was never condescending or all-knowing when it came to her (except on the occasions when she intentionally ruffled his feathers). Even at that young age, Karin knew she was just a little bit _in like_ with Hitsugaya Toushirou.

As they walked in, they watched as Yuzu and Jinta went in another direction, heading off to speak with some of her sister's friends. Instead of following, both of them walked into the crowd, not knowing where to go next. It only took a moment for the entire room's attention to fall on them, or more specifically Karin, who somehow managed to bring the room to its feet in hushed whispers while at the same time gaining everyone's undivided interest.

Holding her head high, she made her way to an unoccupied table. When she motioned to pull out her seat, she glanced behind her to see that it was already out, held by a steadfast Histugaya, who was watching her with that gentlemanly composure of his. Blushing beneath the gaze, she said her thanks, doing her best not to look straight into his eyes in fear that she'd say something completely not herself. He only nodded, pushing her chair in before sitting next to her and scanning the surroundings and taking in the atmosphere.

"Captain!" called a voice, one that was definitely male. Breaking out of her reverie, Karin looked up to see three of her members from the soccer team, all dressed in formal wear and wearing the most surprised looks on their faces. She grinned back, greeting them as they rounded the table to take the few empty seats near her.

"Is it really you, Kurosaki?" the one with dark brown hair asked, trailing his eyes over her form in disbelief.

"Yeah, yeah it's me," she laughed, almost reaching up to scratch her head but stopped when she remembered that her hair has been pinned and pulled to perfection. Yuzu would destroy her if she ruined it now.

"You look great, almost like a different person," another one exclaimed. She thanked him with one of her childish smiles, completely missing the way color rose in his cheeks. Hitsugaya clucked his tongue against the inside of his cheek, doing his best not to interrupt and yet having the hardest time trying to stifle the urge to rolls his eyes and comment something biting.

"You should come to school like this."

"Yeah, even practice! Do you know how many guys would try out for the team if you did?" The last boy beamed at her, causing Karin to laugh out loud in a very un-ladylike manner. Somehow, it made Toushirou just a little more comfortable, seeing her act so natural despite the attention she was receiving. He was smiling at her softly when she turned back to him, the light catching in her eyes despite the darkened room and stealing his train of thought away again.

"I haven't introduced you guys to my date. Toushirou, these are the guys from my soccer team. Guys, Hitsugaya Toushirou." He nodded, noticing how the other three responded with neutral greetings, straightening their backs as they did. He could tell they were sizing him up, as if they were about to enter a competition and he was the one to beat. He almost sighed aloud in vexation. It seemed that Karin was wrong in her assumption that every boy in school was terrified of her.

_It's more like they're infatuated instead,_ he thought, noticing the way the three of them seemed to vie for her attention. It was probably part hero worship, part schoolboy crush, but at the same time it didn't sit well in his stomach at all. Making an excuse to get away for a moment, he scooted out of his chair to go see what was available to eat when Karin reached out for him suddenly. Looking down at her, Hitsugaya assessed her with a questioning look.

"I'll go with you," she said, turning her face away at the gaze but doing nothing to remove her grip. He nodded silently and offered her his arm, as she waved goodbye to her friends.

"You didn't have to come with me," Toushirou offered, but was silently pleased that she did. While he was never the type to be petty or easily roused to jealous, he was happy that Karin had chosen him. It had been a long while since they'd seen each other, even longer since their last decent conversation, and yet she still preferred his company over theirs.

"I know that," she snapped, knowing her voice was harsher than she had intended. Not appearing clingy and yet still going with him was proving to be much more difficult than she thought. "I was hungry too, that's all."

"Oh really?" A raised brow.

"Yes, really." A scoff, as she snubbed him with a turn of the head.

Not sure whether to be annoyed with her rebuke or amused by her annoyance, he didn't say anything as they reached the table. It held a good selection of mostly savory entrees, a western style menu that Hitsugaya was relatively familiar with. They separated for a while, agreeing to meet back at the table in a later. So engrossed with the idea of filling her stomach, Karin almost didn't notice the rather loud whispers of gossip coming from all side.

"Is that _the_ Kurosaki Karin? As in the girl that's beat up guys twice her size just for looking at her the wrong way?"

_Oh the joys of rumors,_ she thought, biting back a smile as she placed the largest piece of steak she could find on the dish she had commandeered. Not being able to help herself, Karin listened closely to the people around her, only half paying attention to what was going on her plate. (Regardless of what it was, she'd end up eating it. Free food was free food, after all.)

"I can't believe it! Has she always been so pretty?"

"I always thought her sister was hotter, but, shit, guess I was wrong."

"It's gotta be the make-up. I mean, who looks _that_ good in such a short amount of time without a secret?" Now that one made her laugh, but she did her best to hide it, choking down a snort as best she could. God, high school was funny. She couldn't wait to relay all of this to Rukia and Rangiku when she got back. They'd be overjoyed to know how good of a job they did. Luckily her vanity wasn't hurt by all the speculation, or she was sure her self-esteem would take a hit. As she picked up a dinner roll, she stopped as another anonymous girl's words caught her attention.

"Forget her, who's the hot guy she brought?"

"I know, right? Definitely doesn't go to our school, or I'd have sunk my teeth into him by now." She could hear their shared laughter and all it did was make her scowl, her pleasure in this game reduced in half. But it didn't end with those two. No, there were scores of girls with and without dates who made sly comments, commenting about how mature he looked, how perfect his face was and how he had the coldest but most beautiful eyes. She scoffed at their naiveté, as she balanced a rather large amount of food on her dinnerware. While she wanted to say something scathing or sarcastic, she decided it was in her best interest not to. Even if for only a few hours, she had to act the way she looked, not the way she wanted. On her way back to her seat, she damned both her pride and her date, as she did her best not to stomp when she left the buffet.

Toushirou was already in his seat, surrounded by three plates with generous servings, all of which he was bound to finish quickly. Unfortunately, spirit pressure as large as his required sustenance that could compete with a small whale, which meant he was sure to go back at least a few times tonight. He felt more than saw Karin plop down next to him, her face set in a rather grim line and etched with frustration. Inwardly he groaned, as he put down his utensils to inquire like the polite young man he was pretending to be.

"Is everything okay, Kurosaki?"

"Fine." She took a large bite out of her dinner roll. "And don't call me that. You always switch back and forth. Just call me Karin."

"It's not proper," he replied, taking a bite as he met her rather impertinent stare. "Besides, I don't think that's what's got you in such a mood."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Another bite, but this time it was a piece of her steak. "I'm not in a mood."

"There's definitely something wrong, and if you don't tell me what, I can't do anything to help." He pondered for a second, as he took something from one of his far plates. "Did something happen with that Mai girl?"

"What? _No!_" she cried out, her anger doubling as she remembered why she was even here. Here, at this useless dance with her extravagant dress and her damnable date. Her date who also happened to be the hottest guy at prom and didn't even seem to notice. It was all very maddening. The way he could carry on with all those stares and murmurs following him as if he couldn't see or hear them was really starting to grate on her last nerve. "I actually forgot about her until now, thanks. Now I'm even more aggravated."

"See, so you were mad," he countered, his eyes sliding to her face as she scowled back at him. "Now seriously, tell me what's wrong."

"You _really_ wanna know what's wrong?" she asked, her mockery leaking into the sentence without her consent. He gave her his half-lidded, 'yes, that's why we're fighting in quips and questions' gaze, making her unconsciously redden at the ears. Distantly, she could overhear a few girls squeal over the look, saying how sexy he was without even trying. It seemed that nothing tonight would be able to quell her anger.

"Wow, I can't even say it! How are you so oblivious?"

"'Oblivious'? To _what_?" he fired back, his voice rising with his mounting emotion. It was always riddles whenever he needed a straight answer from this girl. She twisted her neck to him, her eyes narrowed with both resentment and humiliation as she yelled:

"How the _hell_ do you not know how hot you are?"

And then, it was as if time paused for a second.

If what was happening before was in rapid fire succession, then everything now was running in slow motion. Covering her mouth with her hands, all Karin could manage was a wide-eyed stare, her stomach sinking into her knees. Her dark eyes reflected the shock at her admission, coupled with disbelief and maybe just the slightest bit of regret. On his end, Toushirou found that he couldn't quite manage to hide his surprise. In fact, he couldn't really hide anything as he looked at her with the most amount of emotion she had ever seen on his face. In other circumstances, she'd probably be snickering, making a joke at his expense. But she couldn't, because Karin was pretty sure she'd just confessed something she hadn't known she was hiding.

Without another word, she bolted from her chair and out of the hall.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong> And the plot thickens! It's more of a not-quite confession, since she doesn't really say anything and yet somehow manages to say so much. Oh, Karin, you are so transparent.

Anyway, I just wanted to say how much I love this pair. They have so much chemistry that they practically write themselves. Unfortunately, I should be studying so I'm leaving you guys with this little cliffhanger. Please review if you liked it, hated it (with a good reason, of course), or if you'd like me to fix anything specific. Thank you for reading!


	3. Love transpired

**AN****:** Wow, insane! I'm really glad everyone is enjoying the story. I know this has been a rather long story for me (I haven't written this much in a while, and I usually write things around 2000 to 3000 words tops) so it's amazing how much support it's gotten. I don't wanna keep you, so please enjoy the final chapter. :)

* * *

><p><em>Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid…<em>

No matter how many times she chanted it in her head, Karin found that her unspoken plea to be swallowed up by a hole and eaten by Hollow continued to go unanswered. While not her favorite way to die, she would much rather rest in some demon's belly than end up in Soul Society and come across a certain white-haired captain who she just unwittingly confessed her… _something_ to.

_Great, not only am I stupid, my vocabulary is that of a nine-year-old's._

She sighed heavily, looking up from the sink where she had laid her head down and into the mirror in front of her. What reflected back was a very distressed looking young woman, completely unlike the girl who had arrived a few hours earlier and was full of nervous but excited energy. That had been a girl who was anxious but comforted by the man at her side. Now though, she wasn't even sure she could look a certain Hitsugaya Toushirou in the eye without bursting into flames or—if he so chose—being frozen into a glacier.

But hiding in the girl's bathroom was not her idea of the perfect prom night, so, knowing that it was only a matter of time before Toushirou consumed all of his patience, she straightened herself up to face him and the rest of the world. She had a feeling he knew exactly where she was, but had chosen to give her some space out of respect for her awkward and most likely unwanted declaration (honestly, it was sort of scary how well he knew her). It was that, or he was just trying to prolong the mortification she was bound to face when they reconvened, and with any luck it'd only be him that she'd have to face.

_C'mon, Karin, don't be like this! _she cheered to herself, trying to shake off her nerves._ You're no quitter! You're a Kurosaki! You know, half-shinigami, half-human and… a complete idiot_. Banging her head against the counter with another large sigh, she couldn't help it as the shame rushed through her veins as it so enjoyed doing. But she knew she was being unfair, leaving her friend to his own devices, probably confused about her hot-and-cold attitude. Not to mention that the girls at this school were practically sharks, and if he were a weaker man, she doubted Hitsugaya would have stood a chance against them. She needed to get back out there, even if only to apologize and return home with her head hanging in disgrace.

Flicking her stare back into the glass, she noticed that a few wayward strands of hair had fallen from the knitted bun and she had unintentionally wrinkled her dress during her rush to solitude. Fixing herself one last time, Karin pulled herself together so that she could talk to the shinigami captain with some of her self-respect intact. Peering outside and looking down the corridor, she felt for his reiatsu, not surprised to find it close to an open air hallway nearby. Gathering up her courage, she made her way to that area slowly, being careful not to let the sound of her heels give her away. He'd probably sense her before then, but she didn't want another student inquiring about her or her now infamous incident. All that could wait until Monday, at least.

As she turned the corner, she spotted him leaning against the fenced boarding along the walkway, clicking through his phone carelessly. His clear, focused eyes drifted across the screen, one hand stuffed in his pocket while the other punched the buttons. How he managed to type an entire report on that small screen had always been a bit of a mystery to her, as she reminisced of a time when she would talk until he shut the small Soul Pager and then turn to glare at her with a rather off-putting look.

The old memory played back like a reel on a projector, bringing down an immediate flood of warm feelings from when she was a child as she looked at him with adoring eyes. Smiling a bit to herself, Karin didn't know how he had so easily calmed her heart, an act that only he could do. Even now with her confession hanging over their heads, he was giving her back that old fighting spirit, the same strength she used to kick around a soccer ball even on a bad leg and confront a Hollow that had once been a friend. Coming out of the shadows, she made a movement to catch his attention, but halted when another form came to stand in front of him.

_Is that… Mai?_ she thought, frowning when she greeted Toushirou with a bright smile and her dark feminine grace, two things that always gotten her any man she wanted. She pushed herself back into the dark, watching the interaction with a combination of both guilt and dread. This whole night had been about getting back at this girl, and doling out a bit of justice for all those times she had taken the hate so as not to disrupt the delicate balance she had established with her teachers and classmates. Now though, it seemed as if Mai was going to try and take both the battle and the war in one full sweep. But, as much as she wanted to stop her, Karin didn't. Her gut was telling her that she didn't need to, not yet at least. There was a voice deep down telling her to trust him, to trust Hitsugaya to do the right thing, and every time she had it, she listened.

"I saw you standing out here by yourself. You don't go to Karakura High, right?" Mai asked, her question completely innocent despite the seductive look in her eye. Hitsugaya eyed her, more out of assessment than interest, wondering why there were so many cut outs in the already flimsy piece of cloth. Mistaking it for a flirtatious gesture, the redheaded girl moved so she stood only a foot from him, shooting him a 'come hither' look.

"I'm waiting for my date," was all he said, raising a brow at the girl that had now invaded his personal space. Not quite registering the detached tone of his voice, her reply was to shoot him a leer, a sign that might have made a younger man pleased with her attention but only served to bother him more. He has had the pleasure (or frightening experience, in some cases) of working alongside some of the most sought-after women in Soul Society, femme fatales who were as deadly as they were beautiful. Some high school chit didn't even come close.

_Well, that's not quite true_, he murmured to himself, sighing as he kept a leash on his ever-shortening endurance for this woman. While he certainly didn't want to rush her, Karin was taking an awfully long time. He was sure she was fine, but a part of him still worried, wondering if he should give in and go check on her. Without even looking at Mai, Hitsugaya pushed off the half-wall to find the raven-haired Kurosaki, but was met with resistance when a body attached itself to his arm.

"Now, really, is that any way to treat a lady?" she pouted, batting her eyes at him sweetly. It only made him glare harder. "Besides, I don't think your date is gonna be coming back anytime soon." She giggled, girlishly high-pitched. "After that scene she made, it'd be amazing if she was still on campus."

While his temper remained steady, Hitsugaya could feel the air around him freeze with his remaining good grace, turning the atmosphere into one more like a mid-January night than the current April one. The scantily clad redhead shivered at the obvious temperature drop but didn't ease up, instead moving closer as if to claim some of his heat.

_I see that there_ are _humans who have even fewer manners than Kurosaki Ichigo_, he thought angrily, as he did his best not to toss the girl to the side and be on his way. In answer to her cowardly assumption, he shot her an angered glower, managing to keep his voice void of his internal strife. "You don't know anything about Karin."

"I know that she's not good enough for you," she implored, a mix of anger and sorrow on her well practiced face, one she'd obviously used often enough on men to appeal to their chivalrous side. A good actress, this one. If anything, she'd have a stellar career on one of those cheesy soap operas that Matsumoto liked so much. "Forget about her and come with me. There's no way that that tomboy could make you happy, not like I could. All she does is play soccer and study! What could someone like you possibly see in a child like her?"

_I resent that_, Karin thought with a twitch of her brow, watching the scene unfold. While she was very curious to see how he reacted, Karin had a feeling that Hitsugaya's already short temper was nearing its breaking point. But watching the little drama unfold had been comforting, to say the least. Although he might not feel the same way as she did, it was obvious that the ice prince was not so easily swayed by a pretty face either. It brought some warmth back to her bones, despite the sub-zero air he had magically created.

Straightening herself, she stepped into the moonlight, stalking towards them proudly and smiling the most regal smile she could muster. She would've liked to smirk, but that was much too in-tune with her usual self so she smothered it. Both of their attentions snapped in her direction, as she took in a rather wrathful-looking Mai and an equally pissed off Toushirou, though their anger stemmed from two completely different things.

"I think you're done for the night, Mai. Isn't it a little too desperate to try and steal someone else's date?" Karin taunted, trying very hard not to look arrogant at the other's expense.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Obviously he and I were just about to leave when you came in. As usual, your timing in impeccable," she shot back, looking as haughty as ever. While one would usually call the reigning queen of Karakura High as elegant as they come, in this light, she was as unsightly as a newly hatched Hollow. Some pity was starting to surface, and it was slowly starting to penetrate her hard exterior. Karin had only wanted to get even, not crush the poor girl's spirit.

"Besides," she interrupted, breaking Karin's partial daze with a condescending chuckle, "you and him look _terrible _together."

On second thought, some spirit-crushing sounded _really_ good right about now.

"Is that so?" she asked, her voice sugary sweet to cover her disdain. "Then, let me ask you something, Mai, since you're _so_ suited for each other. It shouldn't be hard to answer, after all, if you know him so well and everything." This time, Karin didn't bother to hide her smirk, as the other girl silently consented to the challenge. Not that she could blame her, of course. A woman's pride was most definitely her worst sin. With the sweetest smile on her face, Karin asked in a superficially sweet tone:

"Tell me, what's his _name_?"

And somehow, silence (and victory) had never tasted so sweet.

* * *

><p>"Aww, man, that I felt good!" Karin sighed, stretching her arms high above her head as she walked side by side with Toushirou.<p>

After leaving a rather horrified Mai behind to wallow in her defeat, Karin and Hitsugaya headed back into the hall to find Yuzu and see what her and Jinta were up to. They were met with the eyes of every person in the room, watching as they walked in, arm-in-arm, as if Karin hadn't just done one of the stupidest things of her entire high school career. Quickly deciding that she couldn't handle all the animosity and overly curious watching, she told her twin that she and Hitsuagaya were heading home early.

"But how are you getting there?" she asked, immediately worried and upset that they were cutting their homecoming experience short.

"We live about twenty minutes away, you know. We each have two legs, two feet and the physical capability to walk. I think we'll be good," she said, shrugging off the concern, but continued in a hush whisper. "Besides, how much trouble can I get into with a guy who can turn people into popsicles and yet still eats _ama-natto_ with his granny? He's basically a teddy bear with ice powers."

Her only response was a reluctant nod from one and a frown from the other.

As they continued down the sidewalk, they walked alongside each other, keeping the pace slow but steady to match the style of her questionably high footwear. As they did, Karin struggled to remove her hair fasteners from the rather jumbled mess on her head. She slowed down to a halt as she realized just how many bobby pins were needed to keep her hair in place (since she had adamantly refused the use of hairspray or gel because she hated the feeling of product hardening her locks), and began feeling around her head for all of them.

"Here, let me do that. You'll hurt yourself." Pushing her hands away from her scalp so she wouldn't tear out anymore hair, the man with sea-colored eyes checked for all of the rebellious pins that refused to reveal themselves. For someone so powerful to treat her with such gentleness brought a flush to her face, and she realized that Toushirou hadn't brought up her confession even once since they'd been alone together. It was both relieving and crushing. While glad that she hadn't ruined a great friendship, she certainly hadn't gained what she wanted either. But to be honest, 'what she wanted' was a bit of a mystery still. As the last of them came out, her hair fell to her shoulders, a mess of old curls and kinked strands, looking more like a hot mess than the once lovely hairdo.

"I must look crazy, right?" she laughed, trying to lighten the mood with a little self-deprecation. She combed her fingers through it, hoping to tame her mane into something presentable so she wouldn't arrive home looking like she'd gotten into a fight… and lost.

"No," he responded, surprising her with his easy admittance as his calloused fingers joined hers while he assisted in her fruitless task. She couldn't help the shivers that traveled down her spine when he occasionally brushed against her ears or the back of her neck, making the brushing less of a job and more of an act of comfort. It was dangerous to think so, but after all she'd gone through tonight Karin was willing to let herself have this much.

When he finished, he turned back around and continued down the path to her house. She couldn't see his face, since she was too busy placing all the wires into her clutch, but if she had, then she'd notice that Toushirou had turned red from his rather unwarranted deed, silently berating himself for his conduct. Not wanting to fall too far behind him, she attempted to run a few steps to clear their distance, and somehow managed to make the second biggest mistake of the night.

When her heel caught a crack in the concrete, she lost her balance and crashed to the floor. Crying out when she hit the ground, she could feel the strange angle at which her ankle had been bent, as she felt the pain shoot up her leg and warmth rushed to the area.

_Great, just what I needed_, she thought, shaking herself at her uncharacteristic bout of clumsiness. She managed to un-wedge the shoe, cursing its existence in the first place and checking her damaged joint. It was only bruised, maybe sprained but nothing worse than that. She flexed her toes to make sure she could still move the limb before noticing another form crouch beside her.

"Is it all right?" Hitsugaya asked, knowing that his knowledge in this field was limited at best. While it was easy enough to judge his own wounds, another's were completely out of his expertise.

"Yeah, just a little hurt. I should be fine," she reassured him, watching as he stood up and held out his hand. Not wanting to do anything else to ruin her night, Karin took it gratefully and attempted to stand on both feet equally. "See, no prob—_OW!_ Ow, ow, ow!"

He shot a heated glare at her, chastising her rash decision with those judging eyes of his. She wanted to return it with one of hers, just so she wouldn't look like a complete fool, but as she rested all of her weight on one leg and rubbed her hand along the other she couldn't really summon the will to do so.

"I had a feeling you were lying," Hitsugaya exhaled his annoyance into the air, not even bothering to look at her.

"Yeah, well, excuse me for being a klutz with pride," Karin snapped back, feeling herself become even more frustrated. Tonight was supposed to be about having fun, experiencing that clichéd high school adventure, and getting just a little bit of payback. Instead, it currently held the record as the event with the most mistakes she's ever incurred on herself. Before she could bark another retort to relieve more of her stress, Toushirou kneeled in front of her, offering his back.

"Well, get on," he ordered, using that authoritative 'Taichou' voice he liked so much. She just looked down at him dumbly, more stunned than anything else. He glanced back at her over his shoulder, his eyes sharp as if warning her not to push herself unnecessarily.

"Don't you think we'll look a little silly?" she couldn't help asking, even as she clambered to hold onto his broad shoulders. He hooked his hands beneath her kneecaps, hoisting her up before continuing their journey.

"I was thinking of carrying you bridal style, but I felt like you'd want to maintain some of that damned pride you hold so dear." The image flashed across her mind and she blushed, immediately grateful that he hadn't done so.

"Good call," was her only reply, as he carried her down the quietly lit roads. They stayed that way for a while, as she felt herself grow accustomed to the way he walked, how he tried not to jostle her around too much in fear that she might hit her leg against something. The care was almost unnoticeable except for the few times he'd walk around certain things, giving himself a wide enough berth for their frames. She absentmindedly wondered if she was heavy, but immediately shot the idea down. Toushirou was much more than he let on. It was pointless to worry about his ability when he was so aptly capable in just about everything he did.

"Hey, Toushirou?" she asked, her voice soft as she balanced her chin along the joint between his neck and shoulder.

"What is it?"

"Why'd you let me take you to prom?" It had been hanging over their heads since they'd left her home, but there never seemed to be a good time for her to breach the subject. With all the chaos she was inducing, she had forgotten about it until now. And she knew that when he dropped her off, she wasn't sure there would be another time she'd get to see him. A life of serving and protecting was the one he had signed himself up for, a complete 180 degree turn from her average, boring human life. So why had he stepped into her world, knowing that there was no need for him to?

"That's a very dangerous question, Kurosaki." Damn, she really hated enigmatic answers like that. With a scowl, she tried to get her head into his peripheral line of sight.

"No, it's a perfectly understandable one. And don't call me that. My name is Karin, _Ka_-_ri_-_n_."

"Your brother doesn't like us getting too close." He ignored the bit about her name.

"What does my brother have to do with this?" she spit back, livid over his blatant disregard for her question. "This is between _you_ and _me_, no one else. You came with me tonight knowing that there was nothing to gain, and yet you spent the entire night playing the perfect escort. I even—kind of, almost, but _not really_—confessed to you! Don't try and avoid it now, Toushirou! I know you heard me!"

"Keep your voice down. You have neighbors, you know," he warned in a muted voice, as she realized they were now in front of her house and clinic. He carried her to the doorstep and set her down easily, watching her as she took off her heels so she could stand in her bare feet. Before he could turn back, she grabbed onto the perfectly pressed lapels of his blazer, locking her eyes with his.

"Look, Toushirou," she whispered, her voice and posture threatening in spite of their large height difference. "I know this might be news to you, but I'm _human,_ and we humans need a little something called 'closure.' I don't have a millennium to wait for answers or decode you and your cryptic one-liners! I'll be long dead before then! I just need you to answer me this:

"Do you like me? As in, _really_ like me?"

They were caught in a compromising stalemate, as she looked up at him with her unstable confidence, trying to grasp his answer. Unfortunately, those teal blue eyes were glacial in the face of her passionate declaration, giving absolutely nothing away. Hitsugaya was every bit the same as his zanpakutou, as he mercilessly brought down an opponent's every defense and parried each swing of their sword. And in a battle of wills, he had more than enough experience in hiding himself from the other, even one as close to him as this one; his words reflected that ability to perfection.

"Of course I like you." A flippant retort at best, partly insincere and completely dispassionate.

"No! Don't give me that neutral_ bullshit_!" she yelled, not caring if she woke the whole block with her pleas.

This was the whole problem with their relationship. All Karin wanted from him was a bit of truth, for him to leave a part of himself with her that was tangible so she could hold onto it when he was away. When Toushirou had left all those years ago without even a word of goodbye, Karin had wondered if she'd only created him in her mind, a savior from another world who was her hero, ally and, most importantly, her _friend_. It had taken years for her to come to terms with the fact that Hitsugaya had all but left her behind without a backwards glance. To say that she'd been hurt was an understatement; she felt like she'd been taken advantage of. She'd given her friendship without receiving even a bit of his in return. Now, she wanted her well-deserved retribution, an explanation to ease that quiet suffering, if only to soothe her wounded spirit.

Pulling his face closer, stopping just inches apart, Karin continued, her voice a soft growl, "it's a yes or no question. I'm not asking for a confession here." Her voice broke at the end, embarrassingly clear in the cool night air but she kept pushing on as she always had. "Just, _please_, just this once…"

"_Karin_," he said, voice gentle as her head fell forward, looking defeated but trying not to show it. He grabbed her wrists, his grip tender but firm as he eased her hands from him. She could feel her limbs shaking, as he looked down at her with the saddest, most bitter eyes. Sometimes, she wished she couldn't completely come undone by him. She could practically feel his emotions, not needing to see them on his face. It was a painful trick she had taught herself to bring him closer to her. As he lowered her hands, she felt her head go up with the motion. It was so ironic how he could grasp her hands so intimately, and break her heart with so much care.

"I can't say it, Karin. You have to know that I honestly can't," he tried to explain, his voice sounding almost like he a prayer, respectful of her but begging for some understanding she wasn't sure she could give. After a moment, her response was to nod slowly, comprehension of their situation slowly but surely filling her.

"I get it," she said, stepping back from him, eyes darting past him to look over his shoulder, unseeing. "You can't give me a yes or no, but your answer is clear. I get it, I do..." Summoning what was left of her courage, Karin looked directly at him, struggling to put that brave face of hers on. This was it. She had come so far only to end up right back where she knew she would, at the beginning of their so-called friendship. And he would walk away again, only coming back when necessary for his needs and never just for her.

So Karin strained against her instincts, trying to ignore the protests of her muscles and put on that characteristic grin of hers. She didn't want their last memory together to be one full of melancholy, not when he had given her so much joy. Not just tonight either, but every instance she had been able to share with him had been a good one. It was only fair that she granted the shinigami those same uplifting emotions, especially if the next time they met she might not even recognize his face.

"_No_, Karin, I don't think you do." Hearing the slight hitch in his voice, she frowned, twisting her features to show her confusion. In place of what had once been his careful aloofness came a spark of fury, the kind he adopted when he was facing some sort of inner turmoil.

"What do you mean?" She tilted her head to the side. "Of course I do. Why would—"

He swallowed her words with his lips, his anger forcing his hand as he pulled the fiery Kurosaki close and into his arms. Kissing her was like drinking in clean air after a fire, tasting a morsel of food for the first time in years. It quenched something deep inside him, something he had been so afraid of acknowledging and even more terrified she'd find out about. But what he could never tell her was easily said with his mouth, as he felt the soft curves of her distinctly feminine body. He pulled his lips from hers, backing away slowly and extracting his traitorous limbs from her, lifting them to cup her face. Her eyes were trapped behind their lids, her freshly kissed lips parted for air, and he felt a deep thrum of guilt mix in with his pleasure.

"You misunderstand, Karin," he whispered, that deep tone of his velvet against her electrified nerves. She could only return his gaze with her squinted, almost sleepy one. Her head was somewhere else, distinctly clouded by the haze he had created around her. Karin always knew Toushirou was capable of magic, most especially on her, but this was something else entirely. Inwardly, she forced her broken concentration on what he was saying, dazedly watching as he talked, and the space between them nearly nonexistent.

"It's not a matter of whether or not I care for you, but of how much," he explained, his timbre so soft in her ears, as if he was singing a lullaby. "You are too young and too good for someone who has seen blood spilled and killed traitors with these very hands." He looked away, feeling the old shame that came with doing his duty. His bloody past went hand-in-hand with their newly acquired peace, a price he had been more than willing to pay but it didn't ease the pain any less.

"Not only that, but you and I both know I have too many enemies, and not nearly enough strength to protect you here in the Living World. If any of them were to find you, you could be used as leverage against a number of our squads."

That was definitely true as well. She was Kurosaki Ichigo's little sister, friend to a number of ranked shinigami, and now the almost-lover of the Tenth Squad's Captain. Just having an association with them was dangerous enough, but a bond as tangible as blood and camaraderie would eventually make her a target for other notorious characters. It had happened before to other people Ichigo was close to, after all; it wasn't unlikely that she too may be wanted by them.

"Plus," Toushirou continued, voice becoming stiff with the dignity his old age and position had given him, "if we did become lovers, it would be against every ethical rule in Soul Society. We could not be found out, or their punishment would be even greater than any enemy's." A defeated look met her eyes, filled with the regret he had never quite overcome.

At one point in his life, his younger self had promised to never allow someone he loved to get hurt, so sure his abilities and intellect would see him through. But Hitsugaya had failed miserably in his quest to do so. He wouldn't let that same fate happen to Karin, not when he had promised her brother and himself so many times that he'd look after her, keep her safe even from herself.

"Are you trying to say," she asked, as she felt something akin to indignant fury well up inside her, "that you're in love with me too, but rejecting me out of some misguided belief that you'll one day hurt me?" His silence was affirmation enough, as he turned his hardened gaze away, so sure of his reasoning. Using all of the strength she could muster, she swung her fist into a perfect upward arch, narrowly missing Hitsugaya's chin with an uppercut, as he stepped back with a look of surprise on his face.

"Who the hell do you think you are, Hitsugaya Toushirou?" she asked proudly, hands on her hips and the volume of her voice no longer under her once steady control. "I don't need _you_, _Ichi-nii_ or _anyone_ to protect me! I'm the daughter of a shinigami captain, sister of the man who killed Aizen, and I have enough reiastu to challenge seated members in any of your divisions! To say you're turning me down so you can 'protect me' is the same as saying you think I'm some sort of burden or something!"

"I never said anything like that!" he protested, his staunch and icy demeanor completely shattered by her words, leaving behind the raw and powerful energy of the prodigy. "I've never once considered you a burden. _Trouble_, yes, since you are a Kurosaki—" she glared at him darkly for that comment "—but _never_ will I ever find you as some unwanted responsibility."

"Then take responsibility for this!" she yelled back, opening her arms in a wide gesture, an effort to show the weight of their relationship. "If I'm not some piece of baggage to you, then what am I? You say you love me, so show it. You say it's okay for me to love you too, so let me.

"I'm no child, Toushirou. I made my decision a long time ago... and it's _you_."

Shell-shocked and horribly ambivalent, a part of him wanted to scoff at her straightforwardness while another was completely entranced by her proposal. Her reasoning was so childish, so selfishly single-minded in its simplicity. Karin could (and did) completely disregard the laws of Soul Society, the rules of her own household, even his own sacrificial argument, and choose him over everything. She was so content to just let herself be in love with him, to forfeit everything she held dear on a whim, as if sure there would be no consequences, no regrets. It was doubtlessly the trait of a Kurosaki, the ability to make up for what she lacked in skill and to go on pure determination alone, as if endless endeavors would be enough to get to the end. Toushirou couldn't help but think that it was either very brave or very stupid.

When he made no move towards her but instead just looked at her with that half-hearted confusion in his eyes, Karin could feel her patience give way to that impulsiveness of hers. Without another thought, she crossed the space between then, threw her arms around her neck, and kissed him like he had done to her, in hopes of explaining all the things she could never say through the actions they were both much better at.

There was no finesse behind it, no experience to speak of, and somehow that made Toushirou's blood come alive, knowing that, for both of her lifetimes, he would be the only one for this amazing woman. Tangling a hand in her obsidian hair and wrapping an arm around her waist, he pulled Karin up and into his arms, supporting her much smaller frame to him and tasting that innocent desire she kept deep within. He could feel his resolve breaking, any protests completely disintegrating and making way for old dreams that he had forgotten about long ago. It was a shame that their kiss had to end so soon, her enthusiasm strong but her body limited.

"I have to go," he said as he pulled away, breathing heavier as he whispered. After she caught her breath, his arms still tight around her, Karin did her best to look him in the eye, her head finally registering the words. Her only reaction was to pout at him, her eyes resentful because it completely ruined her post-kiss high. Chuckling, he set her down, as she did her best not to look as shy as she felt, stepping back a little in her bare feet and tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. All he did was smile, leaning forward to press his lips to her temple with fond grin. "If I don't leave soon, your brother might find me out here corrupting you."

"I'm not that innocent," she snapped, but her tomato red coloring proved otherwise. Trying to appear unnerved, she crossed her arms over her chest and mumbled to herself. "Besides, I kissed _you_ this time."

"So you did," he smirked, feeling very smug for no particular reason. "But that doesn't matter so much to me. After all, it seems that I'll be the one who will be in charge of stealing away that innocence of yours. I'm in no rush, though. I have another millennium for that."

Pushing all the right buttons, Toushirou could only bite back a snicker at the gleaming rebelliousness in Karin's face. He could feel her spirit pressure surge, impressive despite the boundary of her human body, and coursing with that undying spirit of hers.

_That's my girl_, he thought, as she stared him down without fear. Karin would make a fine shinigami one day, joining the ranks of her father and brother with relative ease. He could wait until that happened; he was happy to let her live a normal life until she was ready to join him in Soul Society. It seemed that everything had a way of working itself out in the end.

As if realizing how late it was getting and how long they'd been on her front porch, Toushirou knew it was time for him to head back. Without enough time for her to blink, Hitsugaya shunpoed his way in front of her, pecked her quickly on the lips, and was immediately down the street in an instant. Not quite getting what happened, she looked around for him and drew the conclusion that she had just been tricked out of a proper goodbye, again. Flushing, she cursed Urahara-san and his improved gigai, which provided his convenient escape. She vaguely missed the old ones that completely stopped the use of reiastu.

Sighing, she looked up at the moon forlornly, but it was as if her heart was floating out of her chest and into the sky. Karin knew that time for a shinigami was negligible. She didn't know when he'd be back; it could be days, months, even years, and yet for some reason, the thought didn't make her lonely anymore, didn't make her feel as if she was waiting on something that might not ever come. Turning around and heading back into her home, she couldn't shake the feeling that Toushirou had always been within her reach, just waiting for her to be ready to latch onto him. And this time, she had been more than willing to give her heart to him, knowing he'd be strong enough to protect it, and keep it safe from harm.

After all, no one could love her quite the way he could.

**THE END**

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong> A little 'meh' at the end, but I did enjoy the overall construction of the story. This was ridiculously long, right? Usually, if I'd have written this much, it would be 10 chapters or so. Haha. Thank you all for reading. I really hope you enjoyed, and thanks so much for sticking through all of it.

As for future HitsuKarin stories (because a few people had asked), I have them all planned out in my head but nothing actually written. I have two, one AU and one in the Bleach!verse, but the latter isn't as well-developed, so I'll most likely write the AU first. I hope you'll enjoy it. Well, as soon as I can get it out, of course. Haha.

By the way, reviews are always lovely! :D


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